iRobot Roomba 614 Robot Vacuum Review

Overview

Chances are, by now, you’ve seen, heard of, or investigated robot vacuums. These vacuums have been on the market for several years now, and the technology keeps making them better and better. Automatic vacuum cleaners can make it easy to keep your house or apartment clean with minimal effort. The leading name in robot vacuums is the iRobot Roomba. 

And if you’ve been looking at the Roomba, you’ve likely come across the Roomba 614. This basic model is appealing for both its low price and advanced features. For these reasons, it has become a prevalent model for those wanting to try just what a Roomba can do for your home. In this article, we’ll take a look at all the ins and outs of the 614 and examine what makes this model so in demand. Here is everything you need to know about the 614.

iRobot Roomba 614 Robot Vacuum
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The Good

Our review of the iRobot Roomba 614 Robot Vacuum put this robot vacuum through its paces. Let’s take a look at some of the best features of the iRobot Roomba 614 Robot Vacuum…

AeroVac Technology: At the heart of the Roomba 614 is iRobot’s AeroVac technology. This technology streamlines and optimizes the vacuuming process to provide the best cleaning efficiency. The technology involves a three-stage process to ensure that all the dirt, debris, or hair on your floors gets vacuumed up.

The first stage of the cleaning process involves a side-rotating brush. Because the Roomba is circular in design, it is unable to vacuum right up against walls. So, the side brush rotates up against the wall and moves all the dirt and debris into the path of the vacuum. This provides for a wall to wall vacuuming coverage.

The second stage involves a set of rotating brushes at the center of the machine. These are similar to the traditional brushes you find on a standard vacuum cleaner. The difference of the Roomba is that it uses two sets of brushes that rotate in opposite directions to move all the dirt and debris up into the vacuum cleaner. These counter-rotating brushes are powerful enough to loosen particles and hairs from carpets so that they can easily be swept up by the vacuum. The third stage of the cleaning process involves the powerful machine’s vacuum. This process evenly distributes the collected matter into the bin, which avoids clogging or premature loss of suction due to a full bin. This three-stage cleaning process means that the 614 will give your floors excellent coverage and efficient vacuuming.

AeroVac Filter: The Roomba 614 collects dirt, debris, hair, and other dust particles through the AeroVac process and filters it through the AeroVac filter. While other iRobot Roomba models contain better filtration systems, the AeroVac Filter does an excellent job of keeping dirt from circulating back into your rooms. This filter will need to be cleaned depending on how dirty your floors are. The filter will catch most dirt and hair to keep your rooms clean.

iAdapt Technology: When you turn your 614 on, and it starts the cleaning process, you might notice that it passes over the same places more than once. The zigzag movement of the iAdapt allows the Roomba to survey and explore the areas of your rooms that need the most attention. So, don’t be surprised if it spends more time in one area than another. This iAdapt technology is also what allows the Roomba to maneuver around and under your furniture, under your furniture, as well as to detect walls. It also senses the presence of significant level changes, such as stairs. The mapping technology will ensure that all your rooms are covered and that the vacuum avoids obstacles. This technology will also detect when the battery is low, just in time to return the Roomba to its docking station for recharging. 

Lithium-ion Battery: One of the great features of the 614 model is that it comes with a rechargeable Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery. Most other models will come with a nickel-metal hydride (Ni-Mh) battery. Li-ion batteries are usually more expensive, but they last longer than Ni-Mh batteries. So, for a less expensive model, you get longer-lasting batteries — this is a great bonus for an entry-level vacuum. Because this model does not have any scheduling features, all you have to do to begin the cleaning process is to turn the machine on. The onboard computer will start zigzagging around your space, looking for dirt, and monitoring the power level of the battery. If the battery gets low, the Roomba will automatically return to its docking station to recharge and then head back out until your room is clean.

The collection bin will also need to be emptied between cleaning. If you have a particularly dirty floor, the bin may need to be emptied more often, but once between cleans is normal. The AeroVac filter should also be cleaned when the bin is emptied. Through proper maintenance by cleaning out the filter frequently and by washing the dust out of it, you won’t have to buy a new filter. However, additional AeroVac filters are available if you feel more comfortable getting a fresh one from time to time. The bottom line is that the 614 is very easy to operate and maintain — you shouldn’t be intimidated by the notion of having a “robot” in the house, it does all the work for you!

Classic Design: Almost all iRobot’s models have the same dimensions if you are concerned about whether or not it will be able to maneuver well around your house and your furniture. This model is 13.9 inches in diameter and 3.6 inches tall. This is the clearance you will need for the Roomba to be able to get around and under furniture in your house. Furniture that is closer together than 13 inches will need to be separated if you want it to be able to get in between them.

The 614 is relatively lightweight, weighing only 7.9 lbs. So, if you ever do have to move it manually, you shouldn’t have any trouble, but rarely do Roomba users ever need to pick up their robots. It may happen from time to time that the Roomba might have difficulty going from extreme level changes like tile to thick carpet. In these cases, you might have to give it a bit of a lift. 

Satisfaction Guaranteed: As is the case for most iRobot products, the 614 comes with a 1-year limited liability warranty. This means that the model is guaranteed against any manufacturer defects or parts malfunctions. However, it doesn’t cover abuse or damage. In any case, iRobot will determine how to handle any warranty issues, which could range from sending you a replacement part to sending a new or refurbished machine.

If you purchase your 614 through Amazon, you can take advantage of the 30-day return policy for any problems. You can also buy an extended warranty through Amazon, which can cover it for a longer period. This can give you some peace of mind should anything happen to your vacuum.

iRobot Roomba 614 Robot Vacuum
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The Bad

While the Roomba 614 puts up a good option for those looking for a robovac of a lower price range, it suffers from being a bit too simple for some users. The main drawbacks to the 614 are not design flaws, as iRobot manufactures excellent products. The main negatives concerning this model are the lack of features that you can find on higher-end models.

For example, starting with the 700 series and higher, the Roombas feature a HEPA filter. The 614 comes with a standard filter that does not catch nearly the amount of dust particles as the HEPA filter. If you suffer from allergies and need more exceptional filtration, you will want to look for a model with a HEPA filter. However, if this is not a concern for you, the AeroVac filter does a decent job keeping larger particles from being recycled into the air. Another downside to the 614 is that it does not come with a bin indicator. This light lets you know when the bin is full. Because the 614 does not have this feature, you will have to check to see if the bin is full regularly. This might be a hassle depending on how much dirt it has to pick up daily.

The 614 also has no scheduling option. The only for this model to work is to start it manually. Other models come with a scheduling feature that automatically starts the cleaning process at regular intervals. If you want greater convenience, you might consider a model with this feature. Finally, the 614 is not compatible with the virtual wall, virtual lighthouse, or virtual barriers. These are excellent features that allow you extra control over which rooms it will be able to access and clean, as well as in what order. With the 614, it will merely start cleaning and continue to clean all the rooms on a single floor. There is no way to control or limit room access. This may be a minor point for some, but if there are places you do not want the Roomba to go, you should consider a model that is compatible with these virtual assistants.

The Bottom Line

Overall, the Roomba 614 is an excellent option for those wanting an entry-level, no-frills robot vacuum. With this model, you will be able to keep your house clean between more thorough cleanings, as it is perfect for general upkeep and maintenance. The AeroVac technology will keep your floors clean, and lithium-ion batteries will keep it going for a long time.

While it doesn’t have some more advanced features of the upper-end models, such features aren’t for everyone. For some, these features will be desirable for getting more done, but they aren’t necessary. If you want a simple robot vacuum that will get the job done, the 614 is a great option, but if you don’t mind paying a bit more, then the advanced models offered by iRobot are available. With the 614, you will have all the features you need at a reasonable price to get your housecleaning into the 21st century.

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